Abstract
This article calls attention to the undercurrents of a close knit web of theological, philosophical, and biological hypotheses appearing in the novels and short stories of Machado de Assis. This web, once made apparent, is consistently displayed throughout the author's works, and blends seamlessly with major targets of the author's irony: Humanitism, Predestination, Utilitarianism, Gnosticism, among others. It is worth asking, when such themes are deeply woven, whether Quincas Borba's Humanitism deserves to be taken more seriously.
Progeny; predestination; Darwin; utilitarianism; gnosticism